8:00am - 8:45am
45 mins

REGISTRATION OPENS
 

8:50am - 9:15am

CONSTRUCTIVE FORUM WELCOME & OPENING

9:15am - 10:00am

IN CONVERSATION WITH GOVERNMENT: THE FUTURE OF BUILDING AND HOUSING

Join the Ministers for Housing & Infrastructure and Building & Construction as they outline their priorities for the sector. They will also take your questions on what’s next for the built environment.
• Minister Chris Bishop
• Minister Chris Penk
10:00am - 10:45am

STATE OF THE SECTOR – OUR ANNUAL STOCKTAKE OF THE SECTOR

Our annual deep dive into the perspectives of industry professionals and recent homeowners - what’s shaping sentiment, what regulation is shifting, and how the building experience measures up to expectations.

10:45am - 11:15am

OPPOSITION OUTLOOK

Hear directly from the Leader of the Opposition on Labour’s vision for New Zealand’s building and housing sector, including policy priorities and the path they would chart for the future.
• Right Hon Chris Hipkins 
• Arena Williams

11:15am - 11:35am

MORNING TEA


11:35am - 12:15pm 

BREAKOUT SESSION 1

BEYOND NEW: BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO EXISTING SPACES
- Commercial construction focus
While new builds often steal the spotlight, the future lies in reimagining what we already have. This session explores how commercial retrofits can deliver cost-effective, sustainable solutions -featuring leaders behind the reinvention of some of New Zealand’s most iconic buildings.

DIGITAL FIRST: SMART MARKETING FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS
- Residential focus
Effective marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This session shares top tips for using digital and social media to grow your residential building business—plus, how to leverage the Master Builders brand to boost visibility, credibility, and customer confidence.

BUILDING SMARTER: SUSTAINABILITY WITHOUT THE PRICE TAG
- Residential focus
- Mandarin translation available
Building sustainably doesn't have to blow the budget. This session busts the cost myth, presenting accessible home plans and tools to guide environmentally conscious product choices.

5 mins to move between spaces

12:20pm - 1:00pm

BREAKOUT SESSION 2

MAKING SENSE OF PRODUCT ACCREDITATION
- Cross-sector focus
Bringing new building products to market can be a maze of compliance and red tape. This session explores the current pathways and offers practical insights from those who’ve successfully navigated the process.

UNDERSTANDING THE MASTER BUILD GUARANTEE
- Residential focus
- Mandarin translation available
Session targeting new Master Builders explaining the Master Build Guarantee and how to discuss it with your customers. 

COMPLIANCE AND CAPABILITY: RETHINKING HEALTH AND SAFETY ON SITE
- Cross-sector focus
Health & Safety is evolving fast. This session unpacks what the new regulations mean for you and introduces tools that can transform H&S from a box-ticking exercise into a productivity and performance advantage on site.

 
1:00pm - 2:00pm 
60 mins

LUNCH

2:00pm - 3:00pm 

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: CAN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING EVER BE TRULY BIPARTISAN?
Former Prime Minister Sir John Key shares insights on the elusive goal of bipartisan infrastructure planning - what it takes, why it matters, and how the sector can help push politics towards long-term solutions. Interview led by MC Jehan Casinader.

5 mins to move between spaces
3:05pm - 3:45pm

BREAKOUT SESSION 3

PROCUREMENT IN PRACTICE: ONE YEAR ON FROM THE GOOD CONTRACTING GUIDE
- Commercial construction focus
Procurement continues to challenge the sector, but smarter contracting is possible. A year after the launch of the Good Contracting Guide, this session reflects on what’s working, where risks are still being mismanaged, and the lessons that can drive fairer, more effective commercial procurement.

BETTER CONSENTING: USING DIGITAL TOOLS TO DRIVE QUALITY
- Residential focus
- Mandarin translation available
The move to virtual consenting is streamlining approvals - but the potential goes further. This session explores how tools like the Artisan app are helping businesses lift build quality, offering a smarter way to manage compliance, assurance and efficiency all in one.

ATTRACTING AND KEEPING TALENT IN A CHANGING INDUSTRY
- Cross-sector focus
As the talent crunch continues, the sector must focus on more than recruitment. This session explores how to showcase the diverse, rewarding careers in construction. We look at how to retain great people by fostering strong culture, career development, and a multigenerational workforce that thrives.

3:45pm - 4:05pm

AFTERNOON TEA


4:05pm - 4:50pm 

PANEL

DENSITY DONE RIGHT: RETHINKING URBAN GROWTH FOR AOTEAROA 
What does good densification actually look like in New Zealand? This session tackles the tensions and trade-offs of going up, not out – and how we can get it right for our cities, communities, and future.

4:50pm - 5:00pm


END OF DAY 1 

Summary and close for the day 

6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
CONSTRUCTIVE FORUM NETWORKING DINNER